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A prominent Reform UK councillor who faces allegations of bullying and who was arrested in Basildon Council offices last year – with no further action taken – following a string of complaints, has been appointed cabinet member for Special Educational Needs on England’s second largest local authority.
Cllr Sam Journet, the Reform group leader in Basildon, routinely wears camera-enabled glasses that he says are both on “prescription” and “for protection”. He was re-elected to Basildon council earlier this month, while also being elected to the county-level Essex council – where Reform took control.
Last month Byline Times revealed that Journet, Reform UK’s leader in Basildon, has faced a barrage of formal complaints after regularly wearing Meta-style camera glasses during council meetings and whilst doorknocking local residents, in a move described as intimidating by multiple local sources.
In April, then-Reform councillor Sarah Shields claimed Cllr Journet had been responsible for “bullying” her over a “period of months”. She alleged he referred to her as “thick” because she is dyslexic. She subsequently quit the Reform group.
Journet was also asked to apologise and undergo council training following a separate incident in which he posted footage on social media of a young man with disabilities in Basildon Town centre in an alleged attempt to shame him. He does not appear to have apologised, and has not undergone the training.
Despite this, the new Reform administration in Essex has nominated Journet as Cabinet Member for Education, Special Educational Needs and Skills.
Cllr Journet is also set to be elected Mayor of Basildon at the council’s AGM on Thursday 21 May, in what is understood to be part of a deal with the ruling Conservatives to oust Labour from the local authority.
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He was arrested last September in Basildon council offices, on suspicion of stalking, harassment and a public order offence after facing complaints from council staff and elected officials about his conduct. In November, Essex Police announced there would be no further action taken against him, but this outlet learnt that bail conditions were imposed (and later extended) in the aftermath to ensure he did not contact two council figures allegedly targeted. No bail conditions remain.
This outlet has also seen footage shared by Cllr Journet praising convicted hate-speech offender Lucy Connolly. Connolly was sentenced to 31 months in October 2024 for inciting racial hatred by publishing threatening or abusive material on X following the Southport attacks. She pleaded guilty. Her appeal was dismissed in May 2025, and she was released on licence in August 2025.
Speaking at a Reform event with Connolly in November last year, Cllr Journet appears to tell the former convict: “You are an incredible woman…[to the audience] what people like Lucy have gone through are far, far greater than [my] 20 hours in the cell. If I’m going to be honest, I just don’t think I would have been able to have gone through what you went through.”
He also appears to tell Connolly: “There needs to be a lot of appreciation for what you did go through, you’ve known it was completely horrendous and completely wrong.” In an expletive-laden post following the Southport murders, Connolly had tweeted encouraging people to set fire to hotels housing asylum seekers.
Reform UK’s Basildon Leader Accused of Bullying After Filming Council Staff and Residents With Meta-Style Smart Glasses
EXCLUSIVE: Cllr Sam Journet, who is leading Reform’s bid to take two Essex councils, was arrested last year following multiple complaints about him filming in private areas
Essex Council’s Response
Asked what checks Essex County Council undertook before Journet was nominated as cabinet lead for education and SEND provision, a spokesperson said: “Cabinet Member appointments are political decisions, taken by the leaders of the administration. Council officers have no role.”
This outlet also asked if Essex County Council had requested information on the multiple recent complaints at Basildon Borough Council levelled against Cllr Journet. The spokesperson said: “Essex County Council would have no reason to seek views from another authority on an appointment which is out of its control. Residents expressing opinions relating to appointments and responsibilities is only to be expected.”
Asked what relevant experience or qualifications in education or SEND Cllr Journet brings to the role, they added: “Councillors are appointed to Executive roles for any number of reasons. There is no requirement to be an expert in the portfolio subject matter, in Essex or anywhere else in government, including at national level. These judgements are made by the council’s political leadership, not officers.”
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